The number of apparatus which are needed at one work place increases constantly so that both the arrangement of the apparatus on or rather in the work table, and also storage of the supply wires and in particular their placement in the table creates considerable difficulties, if at the same time the remaining functions of the respective work table are not to be influenced. Thus the arrangement of the supply wires, for example, in a desk must take place in such a manner that the accessibility of the work surface and the surface which is provided for receiving files, card files and the like is not influenced.
From German OS No. 1 814 784 a work table is known, in which electric wires are mostly guided in cavities of structural elements which are part of the desk to a connecting set arranged on the desk. The electric wires are stored either in the cavity of the frame of the table or, however, in a cavity existing in the desk top. In case that this cavity should be very large, it is suggested to define same from the remaining cavity by separating bars. The wires which are arranged in the cavities of the table are guided to a centrally arranged outlet which is arranged either below or in a recess of the table top. From this outlet the electric supply wires are guided through the table top to the individual electric apparatus which are on the table. A disadvantage of this known arrangement of the electric supply wires in the work table is that the wires, depending on the spacing of the electric apparatus from the outlet, must be laid a longer or shorter distance on the table top, which interferes with the use of the desk. Furthermore laying of cable into the existing angular and narrow cavities of the space or the desk top is difficult and time-consuming. In particular it is connected with a great amount of work to renew existing wires later on or to lay new wires. This is also true for the subsequent installation of additional outlets or for a moving of existing ones.
The basic purpose of the invention is to construct a work table of the abovementioned type in such a manner that the wires and apparatus can be compactly stored on or in same without affecting the remaining uses of the work table including the mechanical stability thereof.
This purpose is attained inventively by the side supports of the work table having at least, in their upper area, channels which extend parallel to the work surface and have openings to guide the supply wires therethrough to the work surface, and by providing in the side supports a cavity for feeding in the wires, which cavity extends over the height of the side supports.
Connecting means for the wires and apparatus, for example outlets, plug units, are preferably arranged in the channels of the side supports. These connecting means are accessible, depending on the construction of the table, from above, below or from the sides.
According to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, a recess is constructed in the surface of the channel which can be closed off by a lid and into which are mounted connecting means for apparatus, lamps, telephones and outlets. The side supports are preferably constructed in T-, double-T or L-shape. In a base frame of such a construction the entire upper crossbar is advantageously constructed as a channel. In case that the connecting means are arranged inside of the channel, the supply wires can be guided from the work table top through a slot which extends in the sidewall of the channel to the connecting means.
By using hollow side supports, the supply wires can be guided invisibly from floor channels to the channel. The advantage of the inventive arrangement consists in accessibility of the wires existing practically at any place of the desk which causes the length of the wires extending on the table and leading to the apparatus to be at a minimum. Furthermore, a simple laying of the wires into the desk exists and on the other hand the wires can be supplemented or exchanged also later on in a simple manner. This is true for both electric wires and also for lines for the supply and distribution of different media.
In particular the channels can serve as air distributors for air conditioning. For this purpose the lines are connected to supply air or discharge air channels which are laid in the floor. The supplied air can be removed from the air distributor at any desired point through air outlet openings. Furthermore a sucking off of the room air through the air distributor is also possible.